Egyptian plover

The Zoo has one Egyptian plover, a male who was hand-raised at Toledo Zoological Gardens. He was hatched on May 9, 2008 and arrived at the Philadelphia Zoo on February 12, 2009. He is in the African savanna exhibit.

Viewing Hints

Come and see me at the new African Savanna exhibit in the McNeil Avian Center.

Where to find me in the Zoo

McNeil Avian Center

Fun Facts

It is sometimes referred to as the Crocodile Bird because of an ancient story which says that crocodiles sit on the shore with their mouths open, and the plovers fly into their mouths and feed on leeches that are lodged between the crocodiles' teeth. The crocs “appreciate” the much-needed dentistry and do not eat the birds.

To cool down their eggs, Egyptian Plovers lay wet and belly-down on them.

The chicks leave the nest within a day or so of being hatched.

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This is a distinctive looking small shorebird that resides in sandy areas near riverbeds. Unlike many ground nesting shorebirds that are more cryptically colored to blend in when sitting on a nest, the Egyptian plover has very bold patterns of black, white, grey and tawny feathers. Their plumage pattern makes them easy to identify. Although sociable outside the breeding season, pairs are very territorial during breeding. Pairs will aggressively defend the nest from intruders.

Longevity

Unknown in the wild, can exceed 10 years in captivity.

Behavior

Sometimes called a “crocodile bird,” there is a story dating back to the 5th century BC of the Egyptian plover picking food from the teeth of gaping crocodiles. Although popular, this story remains unconfirmed.

Reproduction

The Egyptian plover has an unusual nesting habit where it will cover the eggs with sand whenever it leaves the nest. This may help to conceal the eggs from predators and may also help to regulate the temperature of the eggs. On hot days, the parents will sit in water to soak their feathers and use these wet feathers to keep eggs or chicks cool in the nest. The chicks leave the nest only a day after hatching but do not become independent of the parents until about 30 days of age. Both male and female incubate the eggs.

Size

Stands 7 to 8 inches tall.

Weight

Weighs 2 to 3 oz.

Diet

At the Zoo, the birds are offered a base diet of commercial carnivore diet mixed with soaked dog food. The enrichment portion of the diet includes a variety of insects.

Geographic Range

Sub-Saharan Africa.

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